Giants Are Ready To Hire Fassel

The announcement could come today or Thursday, depending on how quickly the final contract details are worked out.

Fassel, the Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator, was registered at a hotel near Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Tuesday afternoon, but his phone went unanswered.

Fassel, 47, was the first of four candidates who were interviewed by general manager George Young and was widely considered the front-runner for several months -- in fact, long before Dan Reeves was fired Dec. 23.

But Tuesday, there were conflicting reports about the decision, including a Boston Globe story that said Michigan State coach Nick Saban was the choice. Late Tuesday, CNN-SI reported that Saban turned down the job before it was offered to Fassel.

Eagles defensive coordinator Emmitt Thomas and Raiders assistant head coach Joe Bugel were also interviewed by Young, whose final recommendation required approval from co-owners Wellington Mara and Robert Tisch.

There also were factions in the organization interested in pursuing Patriots coach Bill Parcells, whose contract will expire after the Super Bowl. Parcells won two Super Bowls with the Giants, who are 46-51 in six seasons since he resigned in May 1991.But a Parcells return was a long shot because he desires final say on football operations. Young would have had to leave or accept a reduced role.

The Jets are expected to make a big pitch for Parcells and some in the Giants hierarchy were probably concerned about the PR advantage the Jets would gain in New York if they landed him. But the Patriots' victory in the AFC Championship Game makes Parcells unavailable for another two weeks. The Chargers, meanwhile, began expressing interest in Fassel, so the Giants needed to make a decision.

Saban added intrigue to the search. There were reports he declined to be interviewed, but he later met with Young in New Jersey. Last week, Saban, 44, issued a statement saying he was ``not a candidate'' for the job, but he made a strong impression and the Giants remained interested.

Young asked the Cardinals for permission to talk to Fassel within an hour of announcing Reeves' firing, and he went to Phoenix for an eight-hour interview Dec. 26. Fassel fits two of Young's key criteria:

* He worked as Giants quarterbacks coach in 1991 and offensive coordinator in '92, evidently making him comfortable with the role of the head coach in the Giants' structure. Parcells and Reeves, in particular,think the coach should have more say in personnel matters.

* Fassel is familiar with quarterback Dave Brown, who has struggled in three years as the starter. . And since Fassel was involved in the Giants' acquisition of Brown in the 1992 supplemental draft, he is a believer in Brown's skills.

Fassel's only head coaching experience was at the University of Utah, where he helped develop quarterback Scott Mitchell, now with the Lions. After working for the Giants under Ray Handley, Fassel became the Broncos' offensive coordinator. Reunited with Fassel, who was on the coaching staff at Stanford in the early 1980s, John Elway had career highs in several passing categories that year. Fassel spent two seasons as the Raiders quarterbacks coach, guiding Jeff Hostetler to his two best seasons.

But Fassel became a head coach prospect because of his work in Arizona this season. The Cardinals (7-9) had the sixth-best offense and third-best passing game in the league, using quarterbacks, Kent Graham and Boomer Esiason, who were discarded by other teams.